China to create Central Asia plant database to boost biodiversity conservation

The initiative, led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' (CAS') Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG), is working in collaboration with major research institutions across Central Asia and West Asia.

The database will integrate Chinese, English and Russian language support to create an open-access platform for plant diversity data, supporting cross-disciplinary research and the visualization of biodiversity patterns, said Li Wenjun, a researcher at XIEG.

Li unveiled the initiative during the third International Conference on Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use in Arid Lands, which was held in Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Thursday and Friday. The conference serves as a crucial platform for global scientists to exchange strategies addressing biodiversity preservation and sustainable development challenges in arid ecosystems.

"During the conference, we reached a significant agreement with the Institute of Botany and Phytointroduction of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources to collaboratively digitize 300,000 plant specimens from their collection," Li said.

"Furthermore, we have expanded our collaborative network by establishing stronger research partnerships with institutions in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan," he noted. "These new collaborations will focus on joint biodiversity data mining and sharing initiatives across the Southern Caucasus."

Li highlighted several key accomplishments, most notably the publication of the Checklist of Vascular Plants in Central Asia -- a comprehensive inventory documenting 9,643 vascular plant species spanning 1,198 genera. Additionally, through collaborative efforts with multiple academic institutions in Xinjiang and international partners including Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Armenia, the team behind the initiative has successfully digitized 700,000 plant specimens to date.

"We plan to complete the digitization of 1 million plant specimens by 2026, establishing a comprehensive biodiversity database," Li said, adding that by 2030, the project will expand its network across Belt and Road countries, developing into a global hub of arid-zone plant diversity data to support climate adaptation and sustainable development policies.

"By digitally managing the plant specimens preserved in herbariums, we can utilize big data analysis to uncover more about the trends of plant development amid climate change," said Zhang Yuanming, director of XIEG.

The database will serve as a valuable resource for decision-makers, enabling them to formulate long-term plans and climate change responses in relevant regions, thereby supporting the development and implementation of biodiversity conservation strategies, Zhang said.

The initiative represents a key implementation effort from the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance for Arid Lands (BCAA). During the UN Biodiversity Conference in December 2022, XIEG established the BCAA in collaboration with 11 national research institutions and international organizations.

Earlier it was reported that Kazakhstan is set to host the Regional Climate Summit in 2026.